Washing-machine



M. D. GBSON.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEZS. 1919.

Patented oct. 5,1920.

Ewvenon Marsiall. 6:3501:

QN Nvu.

PATENT OFFICE.

MARSHALL D. GIBSON, QF WEBSTER GROvEs, MISSOURI.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Application led June 23, 1919.

T 0 @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MARSHALL D. GrrsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of lVebster Groves, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vl7ashi1ig--I/Iachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to washing machines. It has for its objects to secure high efficiency in a machine of simple structure and requiring but little power to operate, and to attain certain advantages as will more fully appear in the following description.

The invention consists Yessentially in a novel construction and arrangement in a machine "of this character, whereby the articles, regardless of size and bulk, are subjected to a beating and suction action while being agitated and-circulated in the water. It further consists ina novel arrangement of two or more separate receptacles or containers operating under the same power in opposed and counterbalanced relation to each other. And lstill further in the parts and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating a practical embodiment of the invention,

f Figure 1 is a view partly inside elevation and partly in vertical section, showing' the relative positions of the cooperating parts when one ofthe receptacles or containers is in uppermost position and the other is in lowermost position; Y

Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing the relative positions of the receptacles or conthe hori-v t'ainers when the cranks are on Zontal quarter; Y

Fig.3 is a fragmentary view, looking at the inside of the cover for the receptacle or container; and f Fig. 4 is a section of the cover taken on or about the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

' Referring now to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the base-board or plate of they supporting frame. A This member, as shown, is mounted on cross-footing members 2, and extending upward therefrom are parallel guide posts or columns 3. kAt the tops of the posts or columns 3 are cap-pieces 4 having oppositely extending horizontal ears or lugs 5 for the attachment of the upper YSpecification of Letters Patent.

.tainers 14.

Patented Oct. 5, 1920. serial No. 306,158.

ends of stay rods 6 whose lower ends are attached tothe cross-footing members 2. The cap-pieces 4 also'v have upstanding spaced parallel ears or lugs 7 between which are received the end portions of cross members or yokes 8 respectively spanning a cooperating pair of the posts or columns 3. Preferably, the cross members or yokes 8 are hinged at their outer ends to the ears or lugs 7 of the corresponding cap-pieces, as at 9, while their inner end portions are detachably secured to the` corresponding cap-pieces by removable pins or bolts 10, so that said members 8 may be swung over as will be later described.

On the posts or columns 3 are slidable sleeves 11 having bearings 12 for the receptionAV of trunnions 13 of receptacles or con- As shown, these trunnions 13 are attached to or are a part of bands 15 extending around the receptacles or containers, and extending downward therefrom are straps 16 which are carried under the receptacles or containers and thence turned downward in spaced parallel relation to each other so as to receive between and 'have attached to them the connecting bars 17 for the cranks 18 to bepresently described. A second band 19 is carried about the lower end portion of each' of the receptacles or containers and secured to the respective straps 16, thereby completing substantial holding frames.

The cranks 1S are set in diametrically opposite relation to each other so that the two receptacles orV containers operate in opposed counterbalancing relation. That is, so that one is going down while 'the other is going up. It may be here stated, however, that in the event the machine comprises but a single receptacle or container, the same may be counterbalanced b`y suitable springs, and, preferably, coiled about the posts or columns 3 to bearagainst the lower ends of the Vslidable sleeves 11 as shown and described in a pending application of mine. Y

As shown in the accompanying drawing, the cranks 1S are fixed on the ends of a shaft 2O which is journaled in bearings 21 -on pedestals 22 extending up fromthe base-board or plate 1, and to .make clearance for said shaft the two inner postsl or columns 3 are offset, as at 23 (see Fig. 2) to provide recesses 24 (see Fig. 1). This shaft may be driven in any suitable manner. As shown, it has a pulley 25 thereon for the application of a belt connection with any suitable motor (not shown) which, obviously, may be locatedon the frame of the machine or at a place remote therefrom, as may be desirable. So, too, the shaftmay vbe connectedto the motor by yany suitable spur or worm gearing, if so desired. i.

From the foregoing it is readily apparentV that as the shaft 2() is rotated the receptacles or containers 14 have imparted to them aarticles may be satisfactorily accomplished in due time. It has been demonstrated, however, that the cleansing is accomplished in a short space of timeV and at a much slower` speed in operation, by combining the action above described with a beating and suction appliance. To that end, therefore, an abutment, preferably an inverted cup, is posivtionedV in the receptacle or container so as to be' immersed when the latter is in a raised position, but being out of the water or above the normal water level in the lowermost position vof the receptacle or container. Consequently, as the receptacle or container rises the water and the articles therein vare first thrown forcibly against the abutment or cup, and as the latter is immersed and the receptacle or container moves downward, the relation of the abutment or cup is changed withy respect'to the receptacle or container so that the article which may happen to be in engagement-with the abutment or cup is released on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis of the receptacle or container, and in consequence of which the articles are thoroughly agitated and circulated, soy that oneach stroke a different part of an article or a dierent article is brought into contact with the'abutment or. cup. YIn this way every article is eventually acted upon, and

, by the impactinitially against the. abutment orcup and also by the suction of the partial vacuum createdin the cup, dirt and soil are speedily eliminated from the articles.

The inverted cup, as shown, and designated by the numeral (26, is fixed on the' lower end of a rod 27 which has a vertical adjustment through the yoke 8 and is held in its A adjusted position by a set-screw 28.

In this way the cup may be set at any desircd altitude, but which is usually determined by the normal water line or level in the receptacle or container and the quantity or bulk of the articles'to be washed.

'Io permit of the rocking or oscillatory movement of the receptacle or container on its trunnions without interference of the stationary rod 27, the cover 29 of the receptacle or container is provided with an elongated slot 30 extending at right angles to the axis of the trunnions; and to keep the water'from splashing out through the slot, a plate 31 is slidably mounted in guide-ways 32 on the inside of the cover so as to overlap said slotk throughout the complete oscillatory movement, said plate vhaving a central aperture through which the rod 27 is slidably fitted.

Suitable drain cocks 33 are provided at the bottoms of the receptaclesor containers (see Fig. 2). Access may be conveniently gained to the interior of the receptacles or containers by merely removing the pins or bolts 10 and swinging the yokes 8 over on their hingesl 9 and carrying with them the rods 27 with the cups 26 Yand covers 29 thereon. f

v'As hereinbefore stated, the inventioncomprehends broadly the combination of the reciprocatory and oscillatory* actuation of the receptacle or container with an abutment or beater therein, and, preferably, though without being limited thereto, a vacuum cup. It

further includes the counterbalancing of the receptacle or container, and is applicable to a machine comprising either a single receptacle or container or two or more thereof operating from a common crank shaft, whereby to minimize-the motive power. Nor is it limited to the specific construction and arrangement shown in the drawing.

What is claimed is:

1. In a Vwashing machine, a receptacle having a combined vertical reciprocation and transverse oscillation, and an abutment element supported in said receptacle in detached relation thereto.

2. In a washing machine, a receptacle having a combined vertical reciprocation and transverse oscillation, and an abutment element supported in said receptacle in detached relation thereto and being positioned coincident with the median vertical axis thereof. Y

3. In a washing machine, a receptacle having a combined vertical reciprocation and transverse oscillation, and a vertically adjustable abutment element supported in said receptacle in detached relation thereto and being positioned coincident with the median vertical axis thereof.

4. In a 'washing machine, a receptacle havingV a combined vertical reciprocation and transverse oscillation, and an abutment element comprising an inverted cup supported in said receptacle in detached relation thereto and being positioned coincident With the median vertical axis thereof.

5. In a Washing machine, a supporting frame, a multiplicity of receptacles operating on said frame With a combined vertical reciprocation and transverse oscillation, and a crank-shaft for actuating said receptacles, the cranks of said shaft being set with relation to each other so that the one receptacle counterbalances the other.

6. In a Washing machine, a supporting frame, a multiplicity of receptacles operating on said frame with a combined vertical reciprocation and transverse oscillation, abutment elements supported on said frame and being disposed in said receptacles in detached relation thereto and coinciding With the median vertical axes thereof, and means 7. Ina Washing machine, a supporting Y frame including parallel columns, a receptacle having trunnion bearings slidable on said columns, a crank operatively connected to said receptacle whereby to impart to the latter a combined vertical reciprocation and transverse oscillation on said columns, a yoke supported on the upper end portions of said columns, and an abutment element comprising an inverted cup depending from said yoke and being disposed coincidently With the median vertical axis of said receptacle.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 11th day of June, 1919.

MARSHALL D. GIBSON. 

